Fighting for Healthy Food: Spotlight on Ladonna Redmond

Last weekend I had the privilege of attending two thought provoking lectures at the Northeast Organic Farmers Association's winter conference at the University of Vermont. One featured a panel of distinguished political figures, including Vermont's two state senators and the Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. Although the speeches did indeed provide thought-provoking fodder for a sustainable food editorial post, I'm going to put it on hold for the time being, and instead shift the spotlight to the other headlining speaker, Ladonna Redmond.

If you're into urban gardening and food justice, chances are you've heard of Ladonna Redmond. She has been crusading for food justice and access to healthy organic food in Chicago's food deserts, which are also, not surprisingly, some of the city's most low-income neighborhoods. For her efforts she has been recognized by TIME magazine, Essence Magazine, and The Nation, among other national publications. In other words, she's making a big splash and is someone who is making real changes in the sustainable urban food world.

Ladonna is one of the biggest advocates for the black community's access to good food. She is interested in helping to recreate the idea of food among the "hip hop generation," a generation that she says equates food with McDonalds. In order to do this, Ladonna envisions, and is acting upon, a multi-pronged approach. The first step, which has been her focus in the past, is to simply make food accessible in low-income, predominately black neighborhoods that qualify as food deserts. She has incited the establishment of farmers markets, urban gardens, and most recently a grocery store with lots of local and organic options. The grocery store, called "Graffiti and Grub" is located in Englewood, a Chicago South Side neighborhood and food desert, also ties into her hope of encompassing the hip hop generation in the green food movement.

Graffiti and Grub aims to serve as a community wellness center of sorts, promoting Redmond's idea of SOUL food: Sustainable Organic Urban and Local food. The first floor is the store, while the second floor serves as a community performance space. The store employs local teens, and aims to banish the pretentiousness often associated with organic food stores. It's important to mention that Redmond's vision of SOUL food is using healthy food as a means of reconnecting the hip hop generation with traditional soul food, and African American culture. Food is a powerful cultural touchstone that she feels needs to be restored to the black community, as well as other ethnic communities, in order to make the shift away from fast food and towards local, organic, good food.

Hearing Ladonna Redmond speak was inspiring, despite the fact that her emphasis is geared towards urban black communities and Vermont is perhaps the least urban, least diverse state in the U.S. But her message still resonates. It is possible for us to overcome the many hurdles cluttering our dysfunctional food system, and everyone needs to get back to some SOUL food.

Photo Credit: ItzaFineDay